In his pursuit to be elected to Ward 4, Jamie Fraleigh said he has watched for years as “candidate after candidate would run for office.”

“They’d give a laundry list of issues and promise to solve them,” he said, noting they would rarely follow through on promises, and that his campaign is based on actual actionable platform points.

While wanting to bring tech-sector industry to Sherwood Park, Fraleigh also pointed to specific concerns relating to traffic, community safety and communication while speaking at Tuesday night’s political forum.

“I want to be a different kind of candidate, one that offers solutions, not just lists problems,” he said. “I want to show you how I think... (I want residents to know) the kind of ideas I bring to the table, along with honesty and common sense.”

Speaking to traffic concerns, Fraleigh said residents are frustrated when sitting at a string of red lights along main corridors, such as Lakeland Drive and Clover Bar Road.

“This isn’t just a minor inconvenience, either,” he said. “It will lead to riskier driver behaviour as they run yellow or even red lights, and could lead to an increase in accidents.”

He also spoke to concerns of neighbourhoods short-cutting to avoid arterial roadways with too many lights.

“I have found that by utilizing technology, the lights can actually be artificial intelligence-synced... Lights can actually be adjusted in real time to allow smoother, more efficient traffic flow, especially in peak times.”

While acknowledging such an initiative would come with a cost, Fraleigh said spending could be offset by accessing provincial and federal grants specific to transportation initiatives.

He also noted residents expressed concerns surrounding an increase in vandalism, break-ins and unsafe driving behaviours, saying he’d like to see increased police presence in neighbourhoods.

“This would have the double effect of slowing people down and reducing crime,” he stated.

When it comes to communication, Fraleigh said he would like to “better communicate with residents” through various avenues, including social media, in-person conversations, as well as traditional methods such as phone calls and e-mails.

“It is important that I bring your voice and your concerns to council,” he said.

“We can build a strong future for our community that ensures years of prosperity to come,” he added, promising: “I will be an advocate for my residents on their issues. I will be a responsible steward for your tax dollars, and I will ask questions and demand answers.”

KAREN LEFEBVRE

Karen Lefebvre’s Ward 4 run comes after six months of attending as many council meetings as she could, she told a crowd of 600 on Tuesday night.

Speaking at the Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce-hosted urban election forum, Lefebvre said she attended public meetings “so that I could learn first-hand what community issues are.”

She pointed to concerns about community safety and security.

“(Residents) have told me about the greater need for police presence in their neighbourhoods,” she said, noting she would like to establish neighbourhood watch programs in Sherwood Park.

Lefebvre also noted residents’ issues relating to traffic safety.

“The previous council has developed policies and procedures about traffic calming, and I don’t think anybody I have spoken with was particularly happy with the procedures that have been put in place,” she said, noting she doesn’t think anybody is happy with local traffic circles and speed bumps.

Pointing to specific speeding issues along Davidson Drive, Lefebvre said: “I believe part of this is people trying to avoid the traffic lights... and I’ve had many discussions about the way the lights have been synchronized in the county, and these need to be addressed, as well.”

She added problem areas relating to traffic throughout the county need to be identified, and a plan needs to be put in place to address those issues.

With an eye on snow removal, Lefebvre said that while the county policy was reviewed this past year, not enough has been done to meet local needs.

“This policy is seriously outdated, and Sherwood Park and Strathcona County have grown substantially since this policy was developed, and the way we clear snow needs to be updated,” she said.

While it’s not the county’s duty, Lefebvre also addressed snow clearing in private lots and residents’ stated concerns surrounding inconveniences. She said that current allowable snow clearing times are not conducive to private owners clearing their snow properly in a timely manner, and that she would like to see that changed, as well.

“Sherwood Park is a wonderful place to live, but I believe it can be even better,” she said, adding: “I want to see more recreation facilities, keep our kids active, and we need more housing for seniors.

“We need to decide the direction the community hospital’s going to take, and we need more affordable housing.”

DON MCPHERSON

Don McPherson refers to himself as “the working person’s candidate.”

Speaking to his campaign for Ward 4 at the Tuesday election forum at the Strathcona County Community Centre, McPherson pointed to community needs shown through the county’s recently-approved Social Framework.

Specifically, he noted a food bank usage increase of 90 per cent, a rise in subsidized housing waits, a Primary Care Network-reported increase of 28 per cent in anxiety-related referrals, and a 14-per-cent increase in the number of domestic violence cases reported to authorities.

“Troubling times,” he said.

McPherson said his campaign relies on “accountability for all councillors and all administration, answering to you — the taxpayer — working for you full-time, not part-time.”

“I am a worker,” he said. “I’ve continued working 40 hours a week during this campaign, and I consider myself the working person’s candidate... I’m an advocate for volunteerism. I find it to be the poor man’s philanthropy — the way to give back to this community.”

McPherson questioned the county’s budgeting process and the use of budget surpluses, saying, “I need to ask strong questions to administration, ensuring you get the most service for your tax dollars.”

Addressing the need for communication, McPherson said he would meet with Ward 4 residents on a regular basis, doing so in order to “engage and encounter your problems, your upsets, so I can help you cut through the red tape of administration.”

He also noted he’d like to see the Strathcona County website updated to be made more user-friendly, and that he would like to address issues of affordability in the community.

In addition, McPherson said he would like to see a municipal cemetery in the county.

“We have 100,000 people and we don’t have a cemetery,” he explained. “Why should people need to go elsewhere to pay their last respects to their loved ones? They have to leave us.”

McPherson acknowledged that “the next four years aren’t going to be easy.”

“They’re going to be a challenge. You are the key,” he said. “I will communicate with all Ward 4 residents, plus anybody else that needs information on any subject. I will communicate, because I will represent everyone, not just Ward 4.

“You must engage council. You must show passion in any one of the subjects that any one of these candidates have brought up. Engage us. Show up in numbers. Show that you are willing to stand up for what you believe in. You are the key.”

BILL TONITA

Retired teacher and principal Bill Tonita said his being a family man is what “really defines” him in his campaign to represent Ward 4 on council.

Speaking to a packed crowd at the Strathcona County Community Centre on Tuesday, Tonita said his “family values guide (his) thinking and decision making.”

“I believe that Strathcona County needs strong leaders with the skills to tackle the challenging issues that will face our community in the years ahead,” he said, adding: “I bring to the table a set of values, skills and creative problem solving.”

While acknowledging “the vast majority of people” in Ward 4 are “immensely happy,” Tonita said there are areas of concern, including traffic: “Whether it’s the need to synchronize lights in order to improve traffic flow on major roadways, or traffic calming in neighbourhoods... there is a frustration with public traffic flow. Residents expressed a need to improve sensors at intersections that would allow lights to change more frequently.”

While acknowledging this could also aid in reducing idling, Tonita added that speed on residential roads and ensuring the safety of children are also of “paramount concern.”

Speaking to transit needs, Tonita noted residents’ concerns surrounding poor service in evenings and on weekends, crowded buses, and “poorly-serviced facilities,” adding the belief that localized bus services could see “cost savings... realized by using smaller buses in residential areas.”

Tonita also spoke to growth and affordable housing. “As available land for development becomes more scarce, we must have a plan in place that allows us to grow at a measured place, without placing the burden on taxpayers,” he said, adding the county must remain environmentally sustainable.

“Attracting business and industry to grow our tax base is required to ensure that we are able to maintain the lowest taxes in the region,” Tonita said.

He expressed the need for a council that works effectively, along with an administration that is responsible to residents, noting: “Leadership is about creating vision. It’s about working through issues to get things done... Leadership is about building community together. Strathcona County needs a strong council that can tackle the issues in a responsive way... Or council must put Strathcona County on the map again as the best place in Alberta to live, work and do business.”